By Ahmad Saleem
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has intensified efforts to enhance Nigeria’s non-oil exports with a renewed focus on compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards in sesame and cowpea value chains.
Speaking at a two-day needs assessment and validation workshop in Kano, the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of NEPC, Nonye Ayeni, said the initiative was aimed at addressing gaps and improving communication strategies on SPS compliance among stakeholders.
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The workshop, held in Kano brought together farmers, exporters, regulators and development partners to develop an effective framework for awareness and adherence to international food safety standards.
Ayeni said the programme, under the STDF 845 initiative, was designed to reduce rejection of Nigerian agricultural exports in international markets.
She noted that SPS compliance remains critical to expanding Nigeria’s global market share, particularly for key commodities such as sesame and cowpea.
According to her, NEPC, in collaboration with the International Trade Centre (ITC) and other agencies, has made significant progress in reducing export rejections through improved standards and stakeholder engagement.
She disclosed that Nigeria recorded a non-oil export value of $6.1 billion in 2025, the highest in the country’s history, with export volume reaching 8.02 million metric tonnes.
Ayeni added that the council exported 281 products to over 120 countries, including 32 African nations, underscoring the growing importance of non-oil exports to the economy.
She explained that the STDF 845 project, launched by the World Trade Organisation and ITC in 2024, had established working groups and facilitated collaboration with regulatory agencies such as SON, NAFDAC and NAQS.
The NEPC boss emphasised the importance of effective communication in ensuring that farmers and exporters understand and comply with international requirements.
“Our goal is to co-design a practical and inclusive communication strategy that will improve awareness and compliance across the value chain,” she said.
Also speaking, the Project Manager at ITC, Simon Heisig, said the organisation was supporting small and medium enterprises in developing countries to meet export standards.
He noted that many agricultural products are often rejected at international borders due to non-compliance with technical regulations.
He said the collaboration with NEPC aims to ensure that Nigerian farmers, processors and exporters meet global food safety standards to boost export volumes.
He expressed optimism that the project would lead to increased compliance among farmers and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in global markets.
